Netflix has removed iTunes billing for all new users after customers in more two dozen countries could bypass the in-app subscription method as part of an experiment.
A Netflix spokesperson Netflix has confirmed the change to VentureBeat last weekend. “We no longer support iTunes as a method of payment for new members,” a spokesperson told the publication. “Existing members, however, can continue to use iTunes as a method of payment.”
Netflix has more on that in the official FAQ.
In a statement to MacRumors, Netflix called Apple “a valued partner with whom we work closely to deliver great entertainment to members around the world across a range of devices including iPhone and Apple TV.”
So there you have it.
No longer are new or lapsed subscribers able to pay for their Netflix subscription using Apple’s frictionless iTunes billing method. From now on, new users are getting redirected to the mobile web version of the Netflix website to log payment details directly with the streaming giant.
Netflix began experimenting with this feature back in the summer in an attempt to break free from Apple’s revenue sharing scheme. Apple takes a 30 percent of subscriptions, which drops to fifteen percent after a subscriber’s first twelve months. In May, Netflix stopped letting Android users pay through Google’s Play Store billing method.
A few other developers have removed the in-app subscription option from their iOS and Android apps to avoid sharing subscription revenue with Apple and Android, like Fortnite developer Epic Games. Some developers offer both in-app and web subscriptions, but charge 30 percent more for the in-app method to account for Apple’s cut. For instance, a YouTube Premium subscription is $12.99 on App Store but $9.99 when signing up via the web.